Closure



Aug- 5, 1952 T. F. E. FUcHsLocl-IER 2,605,939

CLOSURE Filed June l, 1950 TTUNEFS' Patented Aug. 5, 1952 CLOSURErlllreodor F. E. Fuchslocher, Van Nuys, Calif., asi` signor, by mesneassignments, to James G. Moran, Burbank, Calif.

Application June 1, 1950, SerialNo. 165,559 n 12 Claims. (Cl. 222-491)This invention relates to closures for collapsible containers or tubesof the type used for tooth paste, shaving cream, salvos and othersemi-fluid or plastic materials.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a simple, yet extremelyeiTective tube closure of the type having a valve adapted to open whensqueezing pressure is applied to the tube and to close when thesqueezing pressure is relieved.

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure of the typedescribed above having a novel spring-operated valve member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure for collapsibletubes, which closure has a minimum of parts adapted to be inexpensivelymanufactured on a quantity basis.

Other objects and advantages it is believed will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible tube having a closuremember incorporating my Ainvention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation similar to that shown in Figure 2 butwith the valve member illustrated in the open position.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 4--4of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective elevation of the valve spring member.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified form of myinvention.

Figure '7 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 6 but illustratingthe valve member in the open position.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6.

Referring now to the drawings, a conventional collapsible tube ID of thetype used for tooth paste, shaving cream and other semi-fluid or plasticmaterials is shown. The tube is provided with an outlet member or neck II having external threads I2. Threadedly engaged with the neck II is acap member I3 provided with an opening I4, preferably centrally oiset,in communication With the neck II. An annular seat I5 surrounds theopening I4 for the reception of a disk-shaped Valve member I6.

Means are provided to normally maintain the valve member I6 in seated orclosed position. As shown in the drawings, this means may include thespring member Il which comprises a spring 2 wire member disposedtransversely'of the axis of the cap member I3 and having a generally VU-shaped end portion I8, the outer leg I9 being normal to the base portion20 of the spring member. A boss 2I is provided on the underside of thevalve member I6, the boss having a transverse opening 22 therein. Theouter leg I9 of the spring I1 is inserted through the opening 22,sufcient' lWhen squeezing pressure is appledto the col-gr lapsible tubeI0 the plastic contents (not shown) are forced upwardly andV against thevalve meinber I6, opening the valve against the action of thespring-Il.v As shown in Figure`3`, the valve member pivots about itsedge at a location remote from the bore 22. The pivotalaction of thevalve' member I6 is somewhat exaggerated in Figure 3 for purposes ofclarity, and ordinarily the valve would not open to the extent shownunless the plastic material in the collapsible tube vIl' were extremelyheavy and thick. The periphery of the valve 36 adjacent thefree endthereof is slightly inwardly bevelled as at 4 2 to provide clearanceupon closing of the valve. Generally the valve I6 pivots only slightlyto `permit a narrow ribbon of plastic material to flow from the tubeI0.' It will be noted that the periphery of thevalve member I6 adjacentthe free end thereof is slightly inwardly bevelled as at 25 to `provideclearance upon closing of the valve.

A modified form of my inventionis illustrated in Alignires 6 through 8.The cap member 30 vis generally similar to the cap member I3 describedabove, having a seat 3l surrounding an opening 32. Here the leg 33 ofthe spring 34 is molded4 into, or otherwise rigidly secured to, thebossl 35 on the underside of the valvemember 36. The portion of thespring 34 which is imbedded. lin

the boss 35 may be curved as shown at BTin order to prevent relativemotion of the spring with respect to the valve member 36. An inwardlydirected ledge 38 is provided in the opening 32 and integral with thecap member 30. The ledge 38 has a transverse groove 33 for the receptionof the raised portion 40 of the spring 34 and may be grooved radially at4I to prevent trans- Verse slippage ofthe spring. It will be understoodfrom the above description that the assembly of the embodiment of myinvention shown in Figures 6 through 8 is much simpler than in the caseof the embodiment shown in Figures 2 through 4. The operation of thevalve 36 is otherwise similar to that of the valve I6, with theexception that the valve opens in the opposite direction.

While I have shown and described speciiic embodiments of my invention, Ido not limitV myself to the exact details of the constructions setforth, and the invention embraces such changes, modiilcations andequivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as comewithin the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a closure for collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of: a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember, said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicatingwithsaid tube through said outlet member; a seat surrounding saidopening; a'valve member engaged with said seat; and a spring memberhaving a straight lbody portion extending transversely from said capmember into `said opening below said seat, the end of the spring remotefrom said body portion being hinged to the under side of said valvemember on an axis normal to said bodyy portion and to the axis of theopening whereby saidvalve member is normally helddownward in engagementwith said seat, said spring being'responsive to pressure against saidvalve member to permit pivotal opening of said valve member.

2. In a closure for collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of: a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember, said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicating withsaid tube through said outlet member; an annular seat surrounding saidopening; a cylindrical valve member engaged with said seat; and a springmember having a straight body portion extending transversely from saidcap member into said opening below said seat, the end of the springremote from said body portion being hinged to the under side of saidvalve member on an axis normal to said body vportion and to the axis ofthe opening whereby said valve member is normally held downward inengagement with said seat, said spring being responsive to pressureagainst said valve'member to permit pivotal disengagement of said valvemember from said seat.

3. In a closure for collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of: a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember, said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicating withsaid tube through said outlet member; an annular seat surrounding saidopening; a disk-shaped valve member engaged with said seat, said valvemember having' a bevelled edge; and a spring member within the openingoperatively connecting the under side of said valve member with said capmember whereby said valve member is normally held downward in engagementwith said seat, said spring member being responsive to pressure againstsaid valve member to permit pivotal disengagement of said valve memberfrom said seat.

4. In a closure for collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of: a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember, said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicating withsaid tube through said outlet member and a transverse bore at a levelbelow said seat and communicating with said longitudinal opening; anannular seat surrounding said opening; a cylindrical valve memberengaged with said seat; and a spring member having a straight bodyportion maintained in said bore and extending transversely from said capmember into said opening, the end of the spring remote from said bodyportion being hinged to said valve member on an axis normal to said bodyportion and to the axis of the opening whereby said valve member isnormally held downward in engagement with said seat, said spring beingresponsive to pressure against said valve member to permit pivotaldisengagement of said valve member from said seat.

5. In a closure for collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember, said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicating withsaid tube through said outlet member; an annular seat surrounding saidopening;v a disk-shaped valve member engaged with said seat, the uppersurface of said valve member being flush with the upper surface of saidcap member; a boss extending downwardly from the inner surface of saidvalve member; and a spring member having a straight body portionextending transversely from said cap member into said opening, the endof the spring remote from said body portion comprising a leg normal tothe body portion and engaged with said boss on said valve member wherebysaid valve member is normally maintained in engagement with said seat,said spring being responsive to pressure against said valve member topermit pivotal disengagement oi said valve member from said seat.

6. In a closure f-or collapsible tubes having an outlet member, thecombination of: a cap member adapted to be attached to said outletmember. said cap member having a longitudinal opening communicating withsaid tube through said outlet member; a transverse ledge extending fromsaid cap member into said longitudinal opening; an annular seatsurrounding said opening; a cylindrical valve member engaged with saidseat; a spring member having a body portion extending transversely fromunder said ledge into said opening, the end of the spring remote fromsaid body portion comprising a leg normal to the body portion andsecured to said valve member Whereby said valve member is normallymaintained in engagement with said seat, said spring being responsive topressure against said valve member to permit pivotal disengagementv ofsaid valve member from said seat; and means on said ledge wherebydisplacement of said spring body portion is prevented.

'7. In a closure means for a collapsible tube, the combination of: aneck for the tube having an opening at its outer end, said openingconstituting a valve seat; a valve member peripherally shaped to fitsaid seat and close the opening when the valve member is urged bodily1nwardly oithe opening in a direction generally transverse to the planeof the valve seat, said valve member being so related to said neckas tobe free to move bodily outwardly from the opening and also free toassume positions in which the plane of the valve member is inclined tothe plane of the opening; a spring means arranged wholly within the neckchamber and connected at its one end to the neck wall and at its otherend to the valve member for pulling said valve member downwardly, saidspring means being normally under stress when the valve member is inclosed position and under greater than normal stress when the tubel issqueezed and the valve member consequently raised to express thecontents of the tube between the peripheries of the valve member and theseat.

8. In a closure means for a collapsible tube, the combination of: a neckfor the tube having an opening 4at its outer end, said openingconstituting a valve seat; a valve member peripherally shaped to nt saidseat and close the open-' ing when the valve member is urged ybodilyinwardly of the opening in a direction generally transverse to the planeof the valve seat, said valve member being so related to said neck as tobe free to move bodily outwardly from the opening and also free toassume positions in which the plane of the valve member is inclined tothe plane of the opening; a spring means arranged wholly within the neckchamber and connected at its one end to the neck Wall and at its otherend to the under surface of the valve member at a point substantiallyoffset from the areal center of the under surface of said valve member..

9. The subject matter dened in claim 8 in which said spring means isnormally under stress when the valve member is in closed position and isunder greater than normal stress when the tube is squeezed and the valvemem-ber consequently raised to express the contents of the tube betweenthe peripheries of the valve member and the seat.

10. The combination dened in claim 7 in which the spring means extendsfrom one connection to the other connection along a line, lying in aplane substantially perpendicular to, and

, 6 intersecting the axis of, said neck chamber and in which the stressof the spring means is a stress in lexure.

11. The combination dened in claim 10 in which at the inner one of saidconnections the spring end is rigidly related to the wall of the neckchamber and in which the other connection permits the valve member topivot on the spring on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the neckchamber and in which the spring is connected to the valve member at apoint offset from the areal center of the under surface of the valvemember end of the spring means.

THEODOR E. FUCHSLOCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,991,126 Stevenson Feb. 12, 19352,011,742 Weber e Aug. 20, 1935 2,028,843 Pischke Jan. 28, 19362,032,883 Mills Mar. 3, 1936 2,379,475 Camfens et al. July 3, 1945

